The future of many movie theaters may remain uncertain as the coronavirus pandemic still necessitates limited-capacity audiences, but fans of at least one beloved movie theater can breathe a sigh of relief now that Los Angeles’ New Beverly Cinema, owned and operated by Quentin Tarantino, has officially announced its grand reopening next month after closing in response to the pandemic last March. “More info coming soon …,†the theater posted to social media Saturday, along with a photo of the historic cinema’s marquee. “Re-opening June 1, 2021,†it reads. “Because we love showing movies.â€
The news arrives three weeks after Decurion announced the closure of L.A.’s ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres, including Hollywood ArcLight’s iconic Cinerama Dome, built in 1963, which famously cameos in Tarantino’s ode to the era, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The closure affected around 300 screens, mostly in California. Many movie fans expressed the hope that a wealthy benefactor might step in and preserve the Cinerama Dome, as Tarantino did with the New Beverly, founded in 1929, after its previous owner, Sherman Torgan, died in 2007.
“It was going to be turned into a Supercuts,†the director, who also does much of the programming at the New Beverly, said at the time about saving the theater. “I’d been coming to the New Beverly ever since I was old enough to drive there from the South Bay — since about 1982. So I couldn’t let that happen.â€